Court confirms marriage of African woman to deceased Kuwaiti man, granting inheritance rights

Kuwait's Court of Appeals has ruled in favor of a woman from North Africa, validating her marriage to a Kuwaiti citizen who passed away two years after their union. This decision overturns a lower court's dismissal of her claim, confirming the marital relationship despite the marriage not being officially registered in Kuwait.

The woman's lawyer, Jarrah Al-Malik, explained that his client entered into a customary marriage contract in a European country. The ceremony included the payment of a dowry and the consent of her guardian. However, after the husband's death, his relatives denied the marriage, likely to prevent her from inheriting his estate.

The Court of Appeals' decision recognizes the validity of the marriage, thereby granting the woman her rightful claim as the deceased's spouse. This legal victory ensures she is not deprived of her inheritance rights.

The case highlights the complexities of marriage registration and inheritance laws, particularly when unions are established abroad and not formally recognized within Kuwait.

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The Court of Appeals ruled in favor of his client, confirming her marriage to the deceased relative of the respondents, who had denied the marriage in an attempt to deprive her of her inheritance.